ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · stem · bound · fine · rock · row · mate · cabinet

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bound — tied together
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bound — certain
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fine — all right
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rock — music
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stem — to come from
  20. row — a line
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. mate — to breed
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com